Final Fantasy XIII 1. Chapter 1

Fate is a curious thing, especially when it decides that you and a bunch of strangers have a date with a fal'cie from Hell or Pulse, whichever you prefer to call it. On the note of my first "date" however, experience is a good teacher. When it was later revealed that my companions all had their reasons for coming here, I could not give the same amount of justification. Mine was rather ambiguous, and it always has been at least as far as I can remember. This however is off topic, let's start at the beginning shall we? Introductions will take longer than you think.


	2. Chapter 2

p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"I stumbled across the suddenly shaking floor, looking up at the ceiling and the Fal'cie. Dust was falling in sheets due to the tremors, but the fal'cie stood silent as it had been for the past few minutes. I reflexively pull my sword out, and plant it in the ground, steadying myself over it. I cover my mouth and nose with my free hand, glaring at the dust. The tremors stopped after a short time./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"I look over my shoulder, trying to see through the dust. "What was that? The thing didn't do anything did it? It doesn't look like it...it didn't do a thing in the time that I stared at it. People then? The only people I saw were PSICOM soldiers gone Cie'th, and I didn't deal with that many." I thought, frowning. I sheathed my sword again, and turned back to the Fal'cie./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"What to do with you though? Silence isn't really what I came here for." I muttered. The metallic machine responded with more of what I didn't need, and I ignored it. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""You know this is really making it seem like I'm just here to talk to myself." I said, walking over to it suddenly aware of multiple sets of footsteps coming my way./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;" I stood against a nearby wall somberly waiting for whoever was coming to get there. I closed my eyes, but kept my sword in hand planted in the ground once more./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Wha-?" A young white haired boy with wide eyes stumbled back into another soldier, who looked vaguely familiar. She brushed him aside, and turned to me sword ready to strike./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm not on it's side or anything, so no need to get violent." I said, sheathing my sword and putting my hands up./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What are you doing here lady? That door was-" an old guy with an afro started, before I cut him off./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Open when I came in, so anyway/spanspan style="font-size:15px;font-family:Verdana;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;" my name's Fade for now at least. How's it going? I think we've got work to do, so the introductions will have to wait until later." I said, glancing at the Pulsian fal'cie behind me./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The other soldier had already approached it, and a blond guy in a trenchcoat was looking both solemn and determined with his brows furrowed. His icy blue eyes searched the dormant Fal'cie for an answer that it didn't seem to plan on giving./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Serah's a crystal gave her a focus and she did it. You got what you want. Now let her go!" he insisted focused on the fal'cie./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The fal'cie gave him the same response that I got./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Please, turn her back! I'll be a l'cie instead!" he begged on his knees./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Fine. You go on begging. Like this thing gives a damn what we want." the soldier pulled her gunblade out, and stuck it again and again, until she recoiled back a few steps./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Lightning!" the blond guy said./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Was that her name? ...Farron? I think I've seen her before somewhere." I thought, slowly unsheathing my sword. I pulled the other edge to the side, leaving it as a double edged sword. I had a feeling that this was going to escalate quickly. I needed answers too anyway. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""It's this thing's fault the Purge started, and it's people who are dying. Serah told us to save Cocoon. That means this thing has to die." she said out of breath at first./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The second after the ground looked like lava flowed under pieces of glass. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Well, you woke it up." I said, steeling myself to the best of my abilities, despite the chill that ran down my spine./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Gears started shifting, smoke suddenly billowed from the ground, and two mechanical arms rose from it./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"I took a few steps back, shaking slightly./spanspan style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;" If I hadn't disobeyed orders, I wouldn't have been fighting a god. It was foolish to expect anything else./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Lightning turned to face both gasping, while the others backed up faster than I did. A blinding light had us shielding our eyes, and for once something broke the silence of a god: his gears whirring in preparation for a fight./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"It shifted and finally revealed itself./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Oh…" I cursed under my breath./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What the-?" the old man exclaimed./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The kid covered his ears and whimpered. I thought I heard footsteps quickly getting dimmer./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The Sergeant took a defensive position, and I did the same, seeing that she had the right idea./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Come on now. You really think you can kill a fal'cie?" the old guy asked, mostly directing it to her./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm doing this for Serah." she stated firmly, switching to an offensive position./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm doing this...for myself." I muttered, making a note to ask who Serah was. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"I glanced over to see trenchcoat, ready to fight as well./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The old guy looked down for a second, and muttered something./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Three against a god. Let's go." I said, tightening my grip on my sword. I had to do this. I needed to./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"I stared at the Pulsian signs that glared in the static glow above us, whipping my head around, hearing something like a Chocobo chick. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent: 36pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I'm in, long as you don't mind an amateur." the old guy said, pulling pistols out./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""I didn't think he was armed." I thought, turning my attention to the god. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""No objections here." I muttered./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Got these things," he said, pointing one in the air. "Might as well use them."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"The Sergeant glanced back at him, before responding./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""Thanks." she said, keeping it short./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Just when I thought we beat it, we were far from it. Literally. Everything faded to black./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;""What's going on?" someone asked./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Something far above us glowed, and shot out. Bells rung out in the uncertainty. The god looked down on us from far above. Things latched onto us in seconds. We were all bound in chains, struggling to be free of the spiders web. A second light came and struck us, before we were released back into the darkness. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"Colorless visions tore across my mind. They were filled with destruction. I would have chosen to redo all of this, if I could have. Fate wouldn't allow me to fade out just then./span/p 


End file.

Final Fantasy XIII, Adventure, Mystery